Rachelle Edwards

Marylebone Park

Fawcett Crest/Ballantine Books, New York, 1990.

It was not so fashionable to ride in Marylebone Park, so it was nowhere near as crowded as Hyde Park. Their ride there would have been interrupted by constant calls from acquaintances. It gave Sophia no small amount of pleasure to reflect he might have chosen Marylebone Park just because they could enjoy each other's company the better

Sophia's companion is not her fiance, about whom she is beginning to have doubts, but the dashing Lord Manville. Her worst fears are realized when she spots 'a familiar yellow phaeton coming toward them' and is 'assailed by a feeling of unreality on seeing Felix riding with Manuela Malliende in Marylebone Park'.

A 'Regency Romance' website summarizes the plot for us: 'Held up by ruffians, then secretly kissed by the mysterious gentleman who came to her rescue, recently engaged Sophia Kingsland feared the gossip-starved ton would milk the incident for all they could.' The author has more than thirty Regency romances listed; this appears to be one of the less popular, since no copies are available in the UK.